FBI arrests California woman accused of spying on Taiwan leader's family for China
Zhang allegedly sent photos, videos and license plate data to Chinese officials after surveillance of the Taiwanese president’s son and family, prosecutors said.
- FBI agents arrested Wanying Zhang, also known as Heather, at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday as she attempted to board a flight to China, charging the naturalized U.S. citizen with acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government.
- Zhang allegedly surveilled the family of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, specifically his son Ting-Yu Lai, in Seattle on September 1, 2025, after maintaining contact with Chinese officials since graduating from the University of International Relations around 2014.
- Security camera footage captured Zhang and an associate photographing the target and family from a rented vehicle, then allegedly transmitting photos, videos, and license plate information to Chinese officials, according to federal criminal complaints.
- Presidential Office spokesperson Karen Kuo condemned the surveillance as "barbaric acts" that disregard human rights and national sovereignty, while Zhang appeared in Los Angeles federal court Monday to face the charges.
- The arrest follows a series of Justice Department prosecutions involving alleged Chinese influence operations, including the May guilty plea by Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang, demonstrating Beijing's sustained effort to cultivate U.S. political influence.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Feds say O.C. woman secretly worked for China, surveilled son of Taiwan's president
Federal prosecutors charged Wanying "Heather" Zhang, a real estate agent based in Irvine, with acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government, alleging she photographed and followed the son of Taiwan's president as he traveled around the United States.
US arrests California agent over spying on Taiwan President Lai's family
US authorities say a California realtor surveilled relatives of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te for Chinese officials. The arrest has sharpened US and Taiwan concerns over alleged transnational repression and spying.
Durango Herald
Northwest Asian WeeklyFBI arrests California woman accused of spying on Taiwan leader’s family for China
The FBI arrested a California real estate agent at the Los Angeles airport as she was leaving the country and accused her of spying for China on the president of Taiwan’s family, federal officials said. Wanying Zhang, who went by the name Heather, surveilled the Taiwanese president’s son and his family last year for the […]
FBI arrested Wanying Zhang, resident of Irvine, at Los Angeles International Airport; Zhang is accused of spying in Seattle for China
POLITICS: Communist China is bringing its police state to California
The Chinese Communist Party doesn’t believe its police state should end at China’s borders. Beijing believes its power to surveil, intimidate and control its enemies follows them wherever they go. Including right here to California. The latest example, it appears, was living in Irvine. Wanying “Heather” Zhang, a 34-year-old realtor, was arrested by the FBI Saturday at Los Angeles International Airport as she prepared to leave for China. Federal …
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